After a five-year hiatus, the first night train from Amsterdam has arrived in Zurich. The new service from the Dutch capital arrived in Zurich Main Station on Monday morning, officially launching the new connection between Switzerland and the Netherlands.

Night train between Zurich and Amsterdam greener than flying

Previously scrapped in 2016 due to low passenger numbers, the route between Zurich and Amsterdam reopened through a collaboration between Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), Nederlandse Spoorwegen (NS) and Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB). "The night train is the way to do climate-friendly international travel, said NS International Director Heike Luiten. “The carbon emissions of one flight to Zurich is the equivalent of four night train journeys."

As part of the “Nightjet” network from ÖBB, the night train will run through the Swiss cities of Zurich and Basel, crossing through Germany and then arriving in Amsterdam. The journey takes 12 hours in total, departing Zurich in the evening before arriving in Amsterdam the next day and vice versa.

Nightjet network now includes Zurich, Basel and Vienna

The train features sleeping cars and regular seats, with some tickets being offered for as little as 77 Swiss francs one way, including a complimentary breakfast. The train has 14 carriages and can hold up to 876 passengers at one time.

The new service joins an extensive network of night trains from Zurich, offering connections to destinations like Vienna and Hamburg. It may not be the fastest way to get around, but it does mean the Dutch capital is only one sleep away.